The Star Tribune and Minnesota Public Radio News polled 800 Minnesota likely voters between Oct. 15 and Oct. 17. Highlights from questions about the U.S. Senate races are below. Scroll down the page to see details about how the poll was conducted and the demographics of the 800 respondents. "Other" candidates in Smith/Housley race are Sarah Wellington (Legal Marijuana Now) and Jerry Trooien (unaffiliated) at 1 percent each. "Other" candidates in the Klobuchar/Newberger race are Dennis Schuller (Legal Marijuana Now) and Paula Overby (Green Party) at 2 percent each.

If the 2018 special election for U.S. senator were held today, would you vote for...?

Tina Smith(DFL)

Karin Housley(Republican)

Other

Undecided

47%

41%

2%

10%

Smith

Housley

Other

Undecided

Men

41%

48%

2%

9%

Women

53

34

3

10

Democrats

95

1

0

4

Republicans

4

86

2

8

Independents / other

33

42

6

19

18-34

58

35

1

6

35-49

49

40

2

9

50-64

43

45

2

10

64+

43

41

4

12

Under $50,000

55

31

3

11

$50,000 and over

44

46

2

8

Hennepin / Ramsey

63

28

1

8

Metro Suburbs

40

49

2

9

Southern Minn.

43

43

4

8

Northern Minn.

37

47

4

12

Tina Smith(DFL)

Karin Housley(Republican)

Other

Undecided

44%

37%

4%

15%

Smith

Housley

Other

Undecided

Men

39%

43%

3%

15%

Women

49

32

4

15

Democrats

91

0

0

9

Republicans

0

87

1

12

Independents / other

32

33

9

26

18-34

64

16

3

17

35-49

41

38

6

15

50-64

39

45

3

13

64+

39

43

2

16

Under $50,000

44

38

3

15

$50,000 and over

42

41

3

14

Hennepin / Ramsey

55

30

3

12

Metro Suburbs

37

42

4

17

Southern Minn.

41

35

4

20

Northern Minn.

39

43

4

14

Do you recognize the name ______? (IF YES) Do you have a favorable, unfavorable or neutral opinion of ______?

Tina Smith

Karin Housley

Recognize Favorable

34%

27%

Recognize Unfavorable

26

14

Recognize Neutral

23

24

Don't Recognize

17

35

Tina Smith

Karin Housley

Recognize Favorable

32%

18%

Recognize Unfavorable

19

8

Recognize Neutral

23

27

Don't Recognize

26

47

U.S. SENATE GENERAL ELECTION

If the 2018 general election for U.S. senator were held today, would you vote for...?

Amy Klobuchar(DFL)

Jim Newberger(Republican)

Other

Undecided

56%

33%

4%

7%

Klobuchar

Newberger

Other

Undecided

Men

51%

37%

4%

8%

Women

60

29

4

7

Democrats

99

1

0

0

Republicans

14

73

4

9

Independents / other

46

31

8

15

18-34

65

29

1

5

35-49

60

31

4

5

50-64

50

35

5

10

64+

51

37

3

9

Under $50,000

65

24

3

8

$50,000 and over

50

38

4

8

Hennepin / Ramsey

70

23

1

6

Metro Suburbs

50

38

3

9

Southern Minn.

53

34

5

8

Northern Minn.

44

41

7

8

Amy Klobuchar(DFL)

Jim Newberger(Republican)

Other

Undecided

60%

30%

4%

6%

Klobuchar

Newberger

Other

Undecided

Men

54%

34%

5%

7%

Women

66

26

3

5

Democrats

97

0

1

2

Republicans

17

73

1

9

Independents / other

59

23

11

7

18-34

75

16

4

5

35-49

57

29

6

8

50-64

59

33

3

5

64+

55

36

4

5

Under $50,000

58

32

4

6

$50,000 and over

59

31

4

6

Hennepin / Ramsey

69

25

2

4

Metro Suburbs

51

35

8

6

Southern Minn.

66

25

3

6

Northern Minn.

55

34

3

8

Do you recognize the name ______? (IF YES) Do you have a favorable, unfavorable or neutral opinion of ______?

Amy Klobuchar

Jim Newberger

Recognize Favorable

51%

11%

Recognize Unfavorable

26

4

Recognize Neutral

22

25

Don't Recognize

1

60

Amy Klobuchar

Jim Newberger

Recognize Favorable

56%

19%

Recognize Unfavorable

19

2

Recognize Neutral

24

15

Don't Recognize

1

76

Do you think it is or is not the responsibility of the federal government to make sure all Americans have health care insurance?

Is

Is not

Not sure

52%

40%

8%

Is

Is not

Not sure

Men

46%

46%

8%

Women

58

35

7

Democrats

84

11

5

Republicans

23

70

7

Independents / other

43

45

12

18-34

55

38

7

35-49

53

39

8

50-64

51

42

7

64+

51

41

8

Under $50,000

56

36

8

$50,000 and over

51

42

7

Hennepin / Ramsey

65

28

7

Metro Suburbs

48

44

8

Southern Minn.

50

41

9

Northern Minn.

39

53

8

Smith voters

87

7

6

Housley voters

16

77

7

Undecided (Smith/Housley)/ Other

42

42

16

Klobuchar voters

80

13

7

Newberger voters

16

76

8

Undecided (Klobuchar/Newberger)/ Other

22

73

5

Do you support or oppose letting people buy in to public health insurance programs including Medicare and MinnesotaCare?

Support

Oppose

Not sure

70%

11%

19%

Support

Oppose

Not sure

Men

69%

12%

19%

Women

71

10

19

Democrats

82

2

16

Republicans

63

16

21

Independents / other

63

15

22

18-34

74

7

19

35-49

72

13

15

50-64

70

8

22

64+

67

12

21

Under $50,000

69

8

23

$50,000 and over

74

10

16

Hennepin / Ramsey

73

8

19

Metro Suburbs

66

15

19

Southern Minn.

68

9

23

Northern Minn.

73

10

17

Smith voters

79

4

17

Housley voters

59

20

21

Undecided (Smith/Housley)/ Other

71

7

22

Klobuchar voters

78

6

16

Newberger voters

60

21

19

Undecided (Klobuchar/Newberger)/ Other

55

3

42

About the poll

This Star Tribune/MPR News Minnesota Poll findings are based on interviews conducted Oct. 15-17 with 800 Minnesota likely voters. The interviews were conducted via land line (60 percent) and cellphone (40 percent). The poll was conducted for the Star Tribune and Minnesota Public Radio News by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc.

Results of a poll based on 800 interviews will vary by no more than 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus, from the overall population 95 times out of 100. Margins are larger for groups within the sample, such as Democrats and Republicans, and age groups.

The self-identified party affiliation of the respondents is 38 percent Democrats, 33 percent Republicans and 29 percent independents or other.

Sampling error does not take into account other sources of variation inherent in public opinion surveys, such as nonresponse, question wording or context effects. In addition, news events may have affected opinions during the period the poll was taken.

Matt DeLong is the Star Tribune’s digital projects editor. He has worked on many digital initiatives, from election planning to the Minnesota Beer Bracket to helping tipsters contact reporters securely. He has written reader guides on many topics, including Minnesota gun laws, voting and out-of-state Vikings bars. He curates the daily Talkers afternoon newsletter.

Chipotle said Monday that the company has offered a fired St. Paul restaurant manager her job back after receiving more information about an incident where employees refused to serve five black men and asked them to prove they could pay before taking their order.

Minnesota regulators reaffirmed their support Monday for Enbridge Energy's proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota, while dozens of protesters walked out of the overflow hearing to make a point about climate change.